During each round of testing, we evaluated the sweetness, acidity, texture, color, flavor, and overall appearance of the canned tomatoes. Between tastings we cleansed our palates with water, saltine crackers, and bread. After the initial tasting, our panelists were allowed to add salt, if desired, to see if it improved the flavor of the tomatoes. We’ve found the quality of each brand to be consistent from one can to the next and from year to year (though one brand we tested, Bianco DiNapoli, did remove basil from its cans). Given that crops can vary and formulas may change, we plan to revisit our favorites whenever we have new options to test so we can compare them.